1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an assembling structure of a current detection apparatus, the structure enabling the current detection apparatus to be attached to a bus bar without sacrificing accuracy and being suitable for mass production.
2. Background Art
Conventionally, there has been known a current detection apparatus which detects the value of a current flowing between a battery and on-board electrical equipment by detecting a magnetic flux generated from a current flowing to a wiring harness which is connected to a terminal of the battery. The current detection apparatus is mounted on part of a vehicle by use of a jig such as a bracket. Then, the wiring harness is inserted through a detection hole of a current detector of the current detection apparatus, where a magnetic flux is detected.
However, in the conventional current detection apparatus, since the separate component such as the bracket needs to be used to mount the current detector on the vehicle, the number of components is increased, and the configuration of the current detection apparatus becomes complex. Further, since the wiring harness, which is flexible, needs to be inserted through the detection hole, the detection hole needs to be opened wide to cope with a problem in relation to working properties. Due to the problem, it is difficult to realize a reduction in size of the current detection apparatus.
To cope with these problems, there has been proposed a vehicle current detection apparatus which improves assembling properties and which is simple in configuration (for example, refer to JP-A-2001-272422). As is shown in FIG. 13, in this current detection apparatus, one end 201 of a bus bar 200 is fastened to a terminal 101 of a battery 100 with a screw 102 for connection, and a current detector 300 is supported on the bus bar 200. In addition, the other end 202 of the bus bar 200 is coupled to a terminal 401 with a screw 402, which terminal clamps to fasten an end portion of a wiring harness 400 which is connected to on-board electrical equipment (not shown) of a vehicle.
In addition, in the current detector 300, as is shown in FIG. 14, a core 302 is fixed so as to surround a detection hole 304 through which the bus bar 200 is inserted within a synthetic resin detector main body 301, and a Hall element 303 is mounted so as to be positioned between both ends of the core 32. By doing so, the vehicle current detection apparatus can simply be configured, and a reduction in size thereof can be realized. Further, an increase in assembling properties of the vehicle current detection apparatus can also be realized.
In the conventional current detection apparatus, however, the following drawbacks have been produced. Namely, as described above, since a magnetic material core for collecting a magnetic flux is placed, the core needs to be provided in which the hole is opened through which the bus bar is inserted and the bus bar needs to be inserted through the hole so formed. In addition, in the event that the shape of the bus bar is complex, since it becomes difficult to insert the bus bar through the hole, the hole needs to be opened wide, resulting in enlargement of the magnetic material core.